Reader question: What’s up with no-shot policy?

I was at [a hotel] recently for a holiday party. After the party we went to the bar. We tried to order shots, but the bartender said they didn’t serve them. I asked if it was policy. She hesitated. I asked for the manager, who had the same answer: They served shots when the bartender thought them “appropriate.”

Now, I have no problem with people being cut off who are obviously too drunk or are planning to drive. I don’t have a problem with a bar policy that doesn’t allow shots after a certain time. But we were still pretty well together and at a hotel where we were paying to stay.

It was a civil conversation, but the more questions I asked, the weirder the answers and the policy got. They wouldn’t serve liquor straight or on the rocks. They would serve mixed drinks, beer and wine. I want to know what Table Hopping readers think about this.

Sounds to me like they were making it up as they went along. I know places that refuse to serve shots, and many establishments will rightly refuse to serve people who are obviously drunk. But I don’t understand refusing to serve liquor up, neat or on the rocks but being willing to serve mixed drinks, wine and beer. After all, in terms of the amount of alcohol contained in each, a shot equals a glass of wine equals a bottle of beer. But, given the size of martini glasses these days, a martini or a manhattan, which are technically mixed drinks but often are essentially straight gin or vodka or bourbon, likely might include 3 (or more) ounces of liquor, twice as much alcohol as in a shot or a beer.

OK, readers:

What do you think?

What sort of kooky, perplexing or aggravating alcohol policies have you encountered?

Steve Barnes

22 Responses

Isn’t it almost always hotel bars that do this? It’s happened at a wedding I once went to, but they did serve their drinks neat. This sounds like the bartender didn’t think s/he should serve them, then instead of the manager just stating the policy of it being up to the bartender, they tried to make something up so no one person would seem like the ‘bad guy’.

..soundz foolish to me especially if they are hotel guests…for that matter they could have their own “stash” in their room…since recent DWI convictions…in part…have involved the servers I think those serving drinks have become cautious as to what to do..personally I don’t think that it should be the server’s responsibility at all…if you’re 21 you should be responsible for yourself & accept the consequences accordingly…did these people speak with managemment?…maybe the bartender was “full of himself”…

I’ve run into the “no shot policy’ across the board and in various areas — hotel bars, restaurants, ‘upscale’ bars. I honestly thought it had to do with keeping up the “atmosphere” the places were trying to convey; i.e. providing shots equals rowdy party. But, a friend tried to order a round of shots at a local fine establishment a few months ago to celebrate a ‘milestone’ type of event. They refused but offered the shot in ‘mixed drink’ form (the shot we requested was a basic whiskey with lime type of combo). We got them in like, 10.5 oz double old fashioned glasses and they were s-t-r-o-n-g. Is that strange?

I was at one establishment and ordered more than a few alcoholic drinks over a few hours. At the end of the night, I ordered a soda and was charged $2.00. This was after I spent a considerable amount of money and I generously tipped the bartender (20%). Soda from a gun costs a few pennies! I refused to pay and will not go back to the establishment again. What happened to customer appreciation?!

I was fishing the Adirondacks a few years ago and needed supplies. I went into the supermarket in Indian Lake and started filling a cart. As I got near the end, I asked an employee where they were hiding the beer and was told they didn’t have beer. I asked if it was a dry town and was told no, but that the owners were born again Christians and they didn’t believe in alcohol. At that, I reared up and stated that if the only store in town expected me to buy groceries and deny me the beer I wanted, I wasn’t going to buy the damn groceries either. I left the full cart with about $50. worth of groceries sitting there , stormed out and went to the next town to stock up, which included beer.

What is everyone’s obsession with alcohol? I’ve never had an alcoholic drink in my life — let alone a shot — and I know I’m a lot healthier for it. Don’t you people know how to live without drinking yourselves silly?

Nobody said anything about being “obsessed” with alcohol or “drinking yourselves silly.” I took it as a subject that the writer thought would be interesting for the blog readers to discuss.

As far as health goes, you holier-than-thou priss, I call your attention to the following, from the International Journal of Epidemiology: “MODERATE DRINKERS LIVE LONGER. Italian researchers examined the relationship between alcohol consumption and long-term survival in 1,536 men aged 45-65. The results show that about two (2) years of life are gained by moderate drinkers (1-4 drinks per day) in comparison with occasional and heavy drinkers. Drinking in moderation, exercising, and not smoking were all found to be associated with greater life expectancy.”

Do a Google search on “moderate drinking” and “life expectancy” or similar terms. The research is settled on the matter.

If you don’t like booze, stay away from it. But don’t brag, explicitly or by implication, that your choice makes you morally superior or healthier.

Elly, I respect your choice not to drink. I, on the other hand, enjoy having a few every once in a while. Yes I can live without drinking. I can also live without fishing, foie gras or peanut butter but I choose not to.

myohmy’s response to Elly was priceless!! Yes, Elly, here is your mission, should you choose to accept it – go out this weekend, heck, even tonight! and have a drink, any drink. maybe make it a shot, just for the sake of being consistent with what this post was about to begin with. if you are still able to stand after the shot, maybe you’ll even enjoy it enough to want (egads!) another!!

I have to say, I think Elly is the best thing that ever happened to this blog. She certainly knows how to get a debate going. Just for the record, Elly, I am actually in agreement with you about alcohol. There is no disputing it is horrible for you, despite what JM cites. That research has long since been disputed. JM — you should keep up with the times. Alcohol, in any amount, raises your chances of cancer, heart disease, etc…. This was big news about a month ago. Oh, and just so you know, I don’t think calling Elly a “holier than thou priss” is an insult by any means. I hope you afford me the same compliment.

I’ll drink to drinking to that, myohmy. Heck, I’ll drink to Elly not posting again since Clay outed her for posting under three different names!! I actually think Elly went out last night and got bombed, so she’s nursing a hangover today;-)